Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Whether you love it or hate it, it'll be impossible to ignore WWE's annual WrestleMania this weekend, as it'll take over multiple venues around Dallas-Fort Worth in a manner similar to the Super Bowl or college championship games. If that's not your cup of tea, rest assured we have many other choices for you.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, March 31

WrestleMania Axxess
Leading up to the main event on Sunday, fans can indulge in all things WWE courtesy of WrestleMania Axxess at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Thursday through Sunday, fans will have unprecedented access to meet their favorite WWE Superstars, Divas, and Legends through a host of interactive fan experiences, including autograph signings and live NXT matches.

Sarah Jaffe in concert with Sam Lao
The appearance of Sarah Jaffe at the Granada Theater on Thursday is a double-edged sword. On the plus side, it's yet another chance to see this amazing musician in an intimate setting as she tours in support of her 2015 EP, Visions. On the other side, after having worked with the likes of Norah Jones, Eminem, and Pixar, we were sure Jaffe would have been given more opportunities to move onwards and upwards. The rest of the world's loss is Dallas' gain.

Friday, April 1

2016 Deep Ellum Arts Festival
The Deep Ellum Arts Festival, celebrating its 22nd anniversary, is expanding by shifting three blocks east to now begin at Malcolm X Blvd and end at Exposition Hall, outside the iconic Sons of Hermann Hall, which will also serve at the Festival’s new headquarters. There will be more than 200 juried fine artists showcasing their work and more than 100 musical performances on multiple indoor and outdoor stages over the course of three days.

Nasher Prize Dialogues featuring Doris Salcedo
The news that artist Doris Salcedo had won the inaugural Nasher Prize came months ago, but with Nasher Sculpture Center holding a gala dinner in her honor on Saturday, there will also be a couple of related events. The Dialogues event at Booker T. Washington High School will feature Salcedo talking about her artistic philosophy and practice, while Nasher Prize Community Day on Sunday will allow the public to view her work and experience other activities related to the prize.

Uptown Players presents End of the Rainbow
Uptown Players begins its 2016 season with the regional premiere of the 2012 Tony Award-nominated musical, End of the Rainbow. The production is a savagely funny drama, set during Judy Garland's "comeback" concerts in December of 1968. The show features an ensemble of Garland hits and is infused with the glamour and the melancholy of stardom. It will play at Kalita Humphreys Theater through April 17.

Saturday, April 2

National Videogame Museum Opening Day
When we profiled the men behind the National Videogame Museum in Frisco back in November, it seemed that museum's opening was imminent. It took a little bit longer than they had hoped, but the museum will officially open its doors on Saturday, allowing the public to see its vast collection of more than 100,000 videogame consoles, games, and artifacts from the past and present.

WWE 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
WrestleMania week continues with the WWE's annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at American Airlines Center. In a bid to branch out from hardcore wrestling fans, the WWE has gotten in the habit of honoring celebrity inductees like Pete Rose, Drew Carey, Mike Tyson, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This year's celebrity inductee will be Snoop Dogg, and breast cancer survivor Joan Lunden will also receive the second annual Warrior Award.

Let’s Dance The Tour 2016
One of the biggest earworms of 2015 was Silentó's "Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)," with the song and accompanying dance being the very definition of viral. If you still have it in your head, you'll want to attend this concert at South Side Ballroom, where Silentó will perform alongside other dance music singers such as iLOVEMemphis, DLOW, We Are Toonz, and 99 Percent.

Sunday, April 3

WWE WrestleMania 32
The ultimate event for wrestling fans, WWE WrestleMania 32 hopes to break an attendance record by taking over AT&T Stadium. All of WWE's biggest stars will be facing off in the preordained matches, including Triple H, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Shane McMahon, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, and more.

WWE heavyweight champion Triple H will be among the wrestling stars "fighting" at WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium on April 3.

Photo courtesy of WWE

WWE heavyweight champion Triple H will be among the wrestling stars "fighting" at WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium on April 3.

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Movie Review

Marty Supreme cements Timothée Chalamet as his generation's movie star

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also got nominated for an Oscar for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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